Process and apparatus for starting internal-combustion engines



.I. BRIZON. PBOCESS'AND APPARATUS FOR STARTING INTERNAL COMBUSTIONENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZO, I919- Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

II v J. BRIZON.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR STARTING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, I9l9.

1,363,637. Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'fdTrhTlig ra tan JEAN BRIZON, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

Application filed May 20, 1919.

To all LU/L07IL it may concern:

e it known that I, JEAN BnIzoN, a citizen oi the Republic oi France,residing at No. Ql Boulevard de Gourcelles, Paris, Seine, France, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes and Apparatusfor Starting Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a process of starting internal combustionengines or the like, which is simple, forcible, reliable and with cutdanger. The process consists in introducing into the cylinders at themoment when the starting is desired a suitable mixture of acetylene andair, introduction being caused by the suction in the cylinders duringthe slight rotation impressed on the engine.

it has already been proposed to start internal combustion engines byintroducing acetylene into the cylinders. No such process, however, hasso far provided certainty oi starting and the processes are allassociated with the risk of accident. These drawbacks to the use oracetylene have been due chiefly to the fact that the acetylene has beenintroduced directly in a pure condition and under pressure from thecontainer into the cylinders, and to the fact that the introduction hasbeen either through the carbureter at the moment of stopping the engineor through special ducts fitted to he cylinders.

When the acetylene is di 'ectly introduced into the cylinders thegreater part of it dissolves in the carbonaceous deposits and residuesin the cylinder. When the introduction is not direct the arrangementsfor introducing the acetylene complicate the construction of thecylinders which become dirty, thereby injuring the operation.

Finally, in the known processes a homogeneous mixture is not attainedbecause since the acetylene enters while the pistons are stationary itbecomes superposed on the gases already in the cylinder, so that thecomposition of the mixture is always uncertain and unsuitable.

The present invention avoids these several objections, and providescertain starting without danger and with the minimum ap paratus andweight. These results are attained by using a mixture specially prepared beforehand in strictly determined proportions, such that themixture is thor- Specification of Letters Patent.

ENGINES.

Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

Serial No. 298,572.

oughly efficient for its purpose, and by introducing this mixture, asalready indicated, by the normal suction of the engine at the momentwhen starting is desired.

The best mixture consists of 1 part of acetylene to 20 parts of air byvolume measured at the same pressure. In this proportion the acetyleneis in tact highly explosive at atmospheric pressure and consequently itneed not be compressed and there is not the danger of its beingdetonated, which danger has been a drawback common to all the processeshitherto used. Finally, in this mixture the combustion of the acetylenedoes not leave any harmful residue in the engine, such as has been adilliculty in the use of the gas with a Smaller proportion of air.

The same proportion, however, is not essential and may be varied inpractice within certain limits provided that the proportion of airpresent is sutficiently in excess of that requisite for the completecombustion of acetylene to provide an inert gas having a damping effect.Practically the proportions should be between 15 and 25 parts of air to1 part of acetylene; 15 parts being twice the proportion necessary forproducing the most violent explosion.

In order that the desired mixture may be obtained with safety, a simpledevice acting with certainty is interposed between the acetylene bottleand the intake pipe of the engine, into which the mixture formed passes.

This device consists in principle of causing the acetylene to issueunder pressure through a converging nozzle opening into a pipe of muchlarger diameter and perforated for passage of air drawn in by thesuction produced by the issue of the acetylene from the nozzle.

The invention also comprises details of constr ction whereby the Weightand number of parts of the installation are reduced to a minimum, whilethe simultaneity of the control 07: the different operations necessaryfor starting is insured. Thus the invention allows of the filling of avariable number of cylinders at the precise moment of starting withoutany modification of or addition to the cylinders, such as the additionof a supplementary pipe which might affect or disturb the running oftheengine. It also allows starting by means of acetylene without dangerand with certainty, this being due to (1) the constant composition ofthe cases.

mixture introduced and the certainty that this mixture would explode'inthe cylinders, and (2) introduction without fail at the very moment ofstarting under the normal suction of the cylinders throughtheiradmission pipe while the speed is low.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention, particularly asapplied to an aircraft engine or to the engine of a motor road vehicle.

Figure 1 shows in section the apparatus for mixing the air andacetylene.

Fig. 2 is a plan of a starting installation on an aircraft.

Fig. 3 shows a modification of the starting installation for a motorroad vehicle.

Figs. 4 and 5 show details of the modification shown in Fig. 3.

In both cases the method of mixing is the same, there being interposedbetween the acetylene container and the suction pipe of the engine amixer of the kind represented in Fig. 1.

The acetylene issuing from the container 9 passes through a needle valveand a pressure reducer i into the mixing apparatus after having passed avalve 0. When this valve is open the acetylene is suitablyexpanded andissues through the nozzle is designed to produce the suitable mixture bythe injector action which it produces in the pipe Z.

Pipe Z has orifices m open to the atmosphere and through these the airenters to mix with the acetylene to form the mixture which is to be usedfor the cylinders. Although the apparatus may be adjusted once and forall, means are provided to render the apparatus suitable in differentFor this purpose the nozzle can easily be dismounted and exchanged forone of a larger'or smaller caliber and there is a nut n which can bescrewed on the pipe Z so as more or less to cover the orifices m. Theseadjusting devices are for varying the mixture to make it suitable fordifferent types of engine, to the speed impressed on the engine forcharging it with the mixture and like conditions, but it must beunderstood that when the proportions are once established there isnothing further to be done by way of adjustment during the use of theinstallation.

When the mixer 'hasbeen constructed with a view to its application to aknown type of engine, installed in a well known manner, the proportionscan be fixed by the needle valve of the pressure reducer g and by theorifices m, the proportion being suitably calculated to give the bestmixture under the conditions which prevail.

In this simplified arrangement the mixer may be connected directly withthe valve fixed on the bottle of dissolved acetylene and this valverisof such a caliber that it when the desired pressure of expansion hasbeen attained there is produced a characteristic whistling. Thus theoperation of the apparatus is very simple; the operator turns the needlevalve 9 slowly until he hears the whistle. At this moment the suitableproportion is obtained, the valve is left in the position which has beengiven to it and the engine is charged in the manner presently to beindicated. It will be noted that in the system just described theproportioning is entirely automatic so that all causes of error areavoided, notably the accidental introduction of acetylene under toostrong a pressure which might occur with a pressure reducer i inconsequence of erroneous observation of the latter. Moreover, the systemallows the placing of the valve 0 before the air admission orifices mand in consequence the suppression of the admission of supplementary airby these orifices during running.

The valve 0 may be operated in any manner by a device combined with theparts for impressing the turningmovement on the engine so as to simplifyoperation.

In Fig. 2 the crank 0 is geared by wheels p and g with the shaft of themotor a which is mounted at the front of the aeroplane. This crank andits shaft may have either of two positions, namely that shown in fulllines wherein the wheel .29 is engaged with the wheel g, and that shownin dotted lines 110 wherein the wheel 79 is disengaged so that the crankis no longer geared to the engine.

The latter is'the normal position.

In starting the engine the shaft of the crank c is brought into gearwith the wheel g. This movement is produced 'by means of the 'lever 1'and produces operation .of the valve 0 the lever arm 't of which isconnected by a fork s, or any other device, with the lever 1". V V

The valve 9 of the acetylene container 9 is then opened and the mixturecontaining gases in proper proportion passes from the mixer placed at yand through the tube (Z to the connections e of the latter with theintake pipe f of the engine. To charge the cylinders the engine must beturned through a suitable fraction of a revolution by the crank c. Thisoperation requires little effort whatever may be the power of theengine, since the cylinders are empty and the turning movement is slow,so that there is no strong compression; moreover, the suction is aidedby the slight plus pressure of the mixture. The force required,therefore, to operate the crank is very limited and cannot be comparedwith that which would be necessary to start the engine directly. Itfollows that in many cases the starting crank may be altogethereliminated and the cylinders charged by turning the propeller.

When the cylinders are charged it is only necessary to complete theignition circuit to start the engine. For this purpose there may be acontact 0 on the crank c which insures the production of a spark onlyafter the threecylinder or four-cylinder engine has been charged.

For this purpose the ignition circuit ought to be specially arranged.There may be used an ordinary starting magneto having a starting contactor an accumulator connected with the secondary winding of the usualmagneto. When an auxiliary magneto is used in conjunction with astarting crank this magneto, placed for instance at m, may be driven bythe crank 0 through suitable gearing.

In this case the contact 0) of the crank is so arranged that it connectsthe magneto with ground so long as the several. cylinders have not beencharged, in order that the gas admitted may not burn as it is admitted.

For this purpose a brush .2 may keep the circuit of the magnetoconnected with ground so long as the insulated piece e, which completesthe auxiliary ignition circuit, is not pressed. Pressure is not appliedto the piece '0 until the desired number of cylinders nas been charged.The spark then passes but only at the desired moment owing to thedistributor of the magneto or any other ignition device.

When the engine has started under action of the acetylene, the crankshaft d es not continue to turn owing to a known device generallyadopted in the starting cranlrs of motor vehicles, and the crank shaftis withdrawn into the position in which the gear wheels 39 and g are nolonger engaged. The various operations necessary for starting may beperformed conveniently by the ch auiieur from his seat 2'. They demandbut little effort and the engine may be started in about five seconds.

The modification shown in Figs. 3, a and 5 is adapted more particularlyfor engines of low and medium powers. it may advantageously be appliedto motor road vehicles.

The principle or" the apparatus is that already described. A mixer y,similar to that described with reference to Fig. 2, is placed betweenthe acetylene container and the intake pipe 7 of the engine. Its valveis controlled by means of a flexible transmission t" at 4 a same timethat the engine is turned for charging. For this purpose the lever rcontrolling the starting of the engine carries a. hand lever 6'connected with the trans mission t. The lever r is preferably at theside of the vehicle. The chaufieur moves it through a certain angle, atthe end of which movement the lever completes the ignition circuit at acontact 7/.

The movement 01". lever 1 is transmitted to the engine by a wheel a anda pinion 17 carrying a bevel gear engaged in a corresponding gear g. Thelatter drives a chain wheel 0 adapted to be automatically disconnectedand driving a pinion (Z on the ongilgp shaft.

r or automatically uncoupling the lever r as soon as the engine isrunning there may be used a device such as that shown, in Fig. 5,whereby the shaft can be driven only at the desired moment. In thisfigure the bevel wheel f is fixed to the shaft g on which can slideeasily a sleeve it having clutch teeth. Like teeth are carried by awheel 0 having peripheral teeth a" and mounted tree on the shaft 9 on aball bearing is.

A light spring Z normally keeps the clutch teeth of the sleeve 71engaged with those of the wheel 71'] 1 V hen the lever 7* is turned inthe direction of rotation of the engine, the force impressed istransmitted through the clutch teeth but when the engine has beenstarted it at once acquires a speed far higher than that of the teeth ofthe wheel 0', and, the latter tending to drive the sleeve it, the clutchteeth ride over each other and there is no driving engagement. A simpledevice may be provided for holding up the sleeve 71." during running inorder that the clutch teeth may not be constantly rubbing against eachother.

It will be seen that the invention insures in all cases of itsapplication, rapid starting without efi ort on the part of the engine-It may be noted that the certainty of startingand the safety, which havenever been realized with use of acetylene, are due to the special mixerand to the normal suction used for introducing the mixture into thecylinders. The use of this suction makes it no longer necessary to usethe mixture under high pressure, thus eliminating a known danger, andmoreover the normal suction allows the mixture to occupy completely theavailable space in the cylinder without being superposed on residualgases contained therein, as has been the case when known injectiondevices have been used. The said devices had, moreover, the very graveinconvenience of necessitating auxiliary parts on the cylinder andconsequently making the construction of the latter difficult anddepreciating its operation.

The invention is not limited to the devices described; both theproportions and the accessory parts in the system may be changed whileretaining the same mode oi operating based on the same principle.

tion and the best means I know for carrylng the same into practicaleffect, I claim 1. A process for starting internal combustion engines,which process consists in effecting a mixture of acetylene and aircontaining a proportion of air at least double that which would producea mixture giving the maximum explosion, injecting said mixture into theengine cylinder, while imparting a slight movement to the piston,whereby the introduction of the injected mixture is assisted by suction,and then igniting the mixture to produce an explosion. V

2. A process for starting internal combustion engines, which processconsists in effecting a mixture of acetylene and air containing aproportion of air greatly exceeding that which yields a mixture givingmaximum explosion, but well within the practical limit of theinflannnability of the mixture, injecting said mixture into the enginecylinder, while imparting a slight movement to the piston, whereby theintroduction of the injected mixture is assisted by suction, and thenigniting the mixture to produce an explosion.

3. A starting device for an internal combustion engine, comprising areservoir of acetylene under pressure, a mixing device for gas fed fromsaid reservoir, comprising a discharge nozzle and a surroundingcylinder, having inlets through which air may be drawn by the dischargedgas to forma mixture, means located between said reservoir and saidnozzle for reducing and controlling the pressure of the gas fed to saidmixing device, and means for conducting the gas mixture to the enginecylinders.

4. A starting device for an internal combustion engine, comprising areservoir oi acetylene under pressure, a mixing device for gas fed fromsaid reservoir, comprising a discharge nozzle and a surrounding cylinderhaving inlets through which air may be drawn by the discharged gas toform a mixture, means located between said reservoir and said nozzle forreducing and controlling the pressure of the gas fed to said mixingdevice, and means for conducting the gas mixture to the enginecylinders.

55. Apparatus for starting internal combustion engines, comprising amanual starting device normally disconnected from the engine shaft, amagneto device, normally disconnected from said manual starting de vice,means for introducing a starting mixture to the engine cylinder,comprising a mixing device having a valve, a starting controller foropening said valve and con comitantly efiecting driving connections fromsaid starting device to said engine shaft and said magneto device, andmeans cooperating with said starting device, at a predetermined pointin, its movement, to render said magneto device efi'ective to ignite acharge of gas in said cylinder.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

JEAN BRIZON.

